ALBUM REVIEW: Fuming Mouth – Last Day of Sun


 

Nothing makes me feel more proud than when a local band from the Boston scene makes it. I’ve been a big fan of Fuming Mouth over the years of their growth and was pleased to find their sophomore full-length, Last Day of Sun (Nuclear Blast Records), in my bin.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Urne – A Feast On Sorrow


 

London-based three-piece Urne announced themselves with the stylish Serpent & Spirit, one of the standout Metal debuts of 2021, and a gloriously dismal collection of songs that unashamedly paid homage to an influence of classic eighties Thrash Metal, mixed with an intriguing blend of traditional rock and melodic death metal.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Elder Devil – Everything Worth Loving


 

Hold on, let me clear my throat. Let me attempt my best Jonathan Frakes Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction voice. Do you remember Trap Them? Seminal Northeast Metallic Hardcore/Grind band? Oh, many good times were had. Crowd surfing as far as the eye could see in those glory days. Well, those days are unfortunately no more as that New Hampshire collective closed shop in 2017.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Black Void – Antithesis


In a time like the last few years, we all are looking for that good piece of news, that sense of accomplishment, that fix of dopamine, to keep us going. Sometimes the positivity, the harmony, the peace is just deafening and some gloom is needed. This is where Black Void resides with their debut release, Antithesis (Nuclear Blast). Born from the group’s other persona, White Void, of hard rock classification, is that good feeling inverse of what Black Void has put together. What that equates to is, crust punk competing with black metal to make a nihilistic ride through darkness.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Feral Light – Psychic Contortions


Recorded in July 2021 at The Crypt South, Psychic Contortions (I, Voidhanger) is the fourth studio album from Minnesota duo Feral Light, aka Andy Schoengrund (vocals, guitars, bass) and Andrew Reesen (drums), who have previously been involved with bands such as Wolvhammer and Empires and features seven tracks of obscure and experimental crust-infused black metal, with a distinct originality that sets them apart from the pack.

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FESTIVAL REVIEW: Badgerfest 2019 Live at The Breadshed, Manchester


2019 see’s the third installment of what’s becoming an important event in the calendar for the discerning Heavy Metal connoisseur, BadgerFest. The brainchild of the undeniably hardest working man in the Manchester metal scene John Badger, If any qualification of that were needed, aside from it being reiterated by every band of the weekend, as well as their gratitude as to the smooth running, he’s also running the Drumming up Change in November whereby he’ll be playing the drums for the full sets of all ten bands. There’s hard-working and then there’s John Badger. Continue reading


Victims – The Horse and Sparrow Theory


The Horse and Sparrow Theory (Relapse Records) really wants to let you know that Victims is about that Hardcore and D-beat life. Like every song on this bad boy is pre-loaded with that classic drum pattern. Every word is delivered with snarl and song with names like ‘There’s Blood on the Streets’ lets you know that these Swedes mean business. The only problem with all that is the in the pursuit of Punk rock fury, Victims forgot to write any memorable riffs. Continue reading


Redbait – Cages


These days I live a fairly clean lifestyle. I’m working out almost every day, cut way back on carbs and sugar and smoke more weed than I do drink. Hell, in the ultimate piece of sacrilege I’ve even given my once beloved coffee. It’s a nice and healthy life and I’m sure my doctor loves me for it, but from time to time I need to get my adrenaline up to eleven. This is where a release like Redbait‘s Cages (New Age Records) comes in. Continue reading


Martyrdöd – Hexhammaren


Hexhammaren (Century Media) by Martyrdöd is the type of album you only must sample one track to know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. Once the title track gives you the five fingers to the face you will have accepted that it’s going to be a hell of a night and of d-beats, raw guitars and lyrics barked at you with the ferocity of a Rottweiler.Continue reading


Ascend/Descend Return With A New Single – “Senseless”


Seemingly back from the dead, or just a long hiatus, vicious Boston hardcore band Ascend/Descend has returned to rip you a new asshole! We last heard from the band back in 2017 with their last single ‘Molt’, the follow-up to their crushing 2016 EP, Murdock Street. Then we caught them opening for Negative Approach in Brooklyn, which was amazeballs. They went on hiatus after that with no firm plans. Now they dropped this fire new single, ‘Senseless’, it’s like no time has passed at all. Purchase this track from their Bandcamp and crank this shit up right now! Continue reading